I was driving back to Toronto from Ottawa today, braving the snow and dirt courtesy of the 401 (and God?), when a little more than halfway there, I saw crowds of people standing on overpasses, looking down at the highway, waving Canadian flags.

At first I thought maybe the olympic torch relay was going to be hitting the 401 that day, but of course that was a silly idea. Eventually I realized that the section of 401 that I was on is called the Highway of Heroes and the people were showing support for the Canadian troops that died in Afghanistan recently.

There is no question that my heart was warmed a little bit, seeing people standing out in the cold on a snowy day to demonstrate their patriotism. After all, Canada is a great country. However, it’s rarely that simple; is it?

If I were to demonstrate support for Canadian troops in Afghanistan, I would do so by contacting my MP and requesting that they be brought home immediately. After all, one of the main ways one can support the troops of his or her nation is to seek their protection from harm.

But they’re soldiers, you say; the very nature of their work puts them in harm’s way.

Well, the other way to support the troops is to demand that the government defines a mission that is of the utmost necessity, either for the protection of its people or for other human beings around the world. You’ll notice that I did not say anything about fighting a war to appease a powerful neighbour with whom a nation depends upon for trade and to try and flex some muscle on the world stage. This is Canada’s only purpose in Afghanistan.

The other problem is the inevitable blurring of the lines between the phrases “support the troops” and “support the war,” which America created during the Iraq debate. I’m pretty sure every single Canadian supports the troops every single minute of every single day. Why wouldn’t they? But hell, if you put down the war they’re fighting.

I guess it’s all interchangeable in this modern world we live in.

Thus seeing those crowds of people was a mixed bag for me because I wanted to tell them all to pack up and leave to go and actually try and prevent more from dying for this war.

Some might have noticed my post about Canada Day on Twitter yesterday. The funny part is that I was out enjoying the day just as much as the other thousands of people that filled the streets of Ottawa last night.

The truth remains that Canada’s “birth” as a country was not on July 1, 1867. On that day, the British North American colonies became unified under one federal administration; however, this new entity still largely remained a British colony. The new Canadian government often had to consult with the British on all major legislative decisions (Britain could even legislate for Canada if it wanted) and had no freedom to carry out an independent foreign policy. This arrangement was displayed most prominently during World War I when Canada was immediately at war with Germany as soon as the British were.

It wasn’t until 1931 and the Statute of Westminster that Canada was given more real independence over its domestic and foreign policy, and legislative decisions. But even then, Canada still required approval by the British Parliament if it ever wanted to amend its constitution. This left Canada’s sovereignty somewhat in question all the way until 1982 when the Canada Act was passed after extensive negotiations with the British government.

So my intention is only to bring light to the fact that Canada really does not have a “birthday” in the way that other countries do. I usually argue that the closest thing to it is 1931, but it’s quite open to dispute. However, last night, having the chance to celebrate Canada Day for the first time since I was a kid, I realized that Canada Day isn’t really supposed to be a birthday. It’s just a day to celebrate one of the greatest countries on Earth. I couldn’t help but feel patriotic last night looking at the flag waving above Parliament Hill and listening to the sad swoons of Sarah Mclachlan.

The country’s history is perhaps not extraordinary, usually forgotten, but quite storied; it is deep with triumphs and challenges, blunders and perfections. Its scenery and culture are so subtle yet stellar while its politics can often be petty and childish. Its people are courteous and friendly, diverse and creative. For all it is and all we are, it’s definitely worth celebrating.

Happy Canada Day.